Sex worker

A sex worker is a person who is empwoyed in de sex industry.[1][2] The term is used in reference to aww dose in aww areas of de sex industry, incwuding dose who provide direct sexuaw services as weww as de staff and management of such industries.[3] Some sex workers are paid to engage in sex acts or sexuawwy expwicit behavior which invowve varying degrees of physicaw contact wif cwients (prostitutes and some but not aww professionaw dominants); pornographic modews and actors engage in sexuawwy expwicit behavior which is fiwmed or photographed. Phone sex operators have sexuawwy-oriented conversations wif cwients, and may do verbaw sexuaw rowepway.

Oder sex workers are paid to engage in wive sexuaw performance, such as webcam sex[4][5] and performers in wive sex shows. Some sex workers perform erotic dances and oder acts for an audience. These incwude: striptease, go-go dancing, wap dancing, neo-burwesqwe, and peep shows. Sexuaw surrogates work wif psychoanawysts to engage in sexuaw activity as part of derapy wif deir cwients.[6] Thus, awdough de term sex worker is sometimes viewed as a synonym or euphemism for "prostitute", it is more generaw. Sex worker can refer to individuaws who do not directwy engage in sexuaw activity such as powe dancers, sex toy testers, and strip cwub managers.[7][3] Anoder exampwe of sex workers dat wouwd not faww under de term prostitute wouwd be an aduwt tawent manager, who negotiates and secures pornographic rowes for cwients. There are awso erotic photographers who shoot and edit for aduwt media and porn reviewers who watch and rate aduwt fiwms.[7]

Some peopwe use de term sex worker to avoid invoking de stigma associated wif de word prostitute. Using de term sex worker rader dan prostitute awso awwows more members of de sex industry to be represented and hewps ensure dat individuaws who are actuawwy prostitutes are not singwed out and associated wif de negative connotations of prostitute. In addition, choosing to use de term sex worker rader dan prostitute shows ownership over de individuaws' career choice. Some argue dat dose who prefer de term sex worker wish to separate deir occupation from deir person, uh-hah-hah-hah. Describing someone as a sex worker recognizes dat de individuaw may have many different facets, and are not necessariwy defined by deir job.

Sex work is different from sexuaw expwoitation, or de forcing of a person to commit sexuaw acts, in dat sex work is vowuntary "and is seen as de commerciaw exchange of sex for money or goods".[8] In an attempt to furder cwarify de broad term dat sex work is, John E. Exner, an American psychowogist, worked wif his cowweagues to create five distinct cwasses for categorizing sex workers. One schowarwy articwe detaiws de cwasses as fowwows: "specificawwy, de audors articuwated Cwass I, or de upper cwass of de profession, consisting of caww girws; Cwass II was referred to as de middwe cwass, consisting of 'in-house girws' who typicawwy work in an estabwishment on a commission basis; Cwass III, de wower middwe cwass, were 'streetwawkers' whose fees and pwace of work fwuctuate considerabwy; Cwass IV sex workers have been known as 'commuter housewives', and dey are typicawwy invowved in sex work to suppwement famiwy income; and Cwass V consists of 'streetwawker addicts', or 'drugs-for-sex streetwawkers' who are considered de wower cwass of de profession, uh-hah-hah-hah."[8]

The term sex worker was coined in 1978 by sex worker activist Carow Leigh.[citation needed] Its use became popuwarized after pubwication of de andowogy, Sex Work: Writings By Women In The Sex Industry in 1987, edited by Frédériqwe Dewacoste and Prisciwwa Awexander.[9][10][11] The term "sex worker" has since spread into much wider use, incwuding in academic pubwications, by NGOs and wabor unions, and by governmentaw and intergovernmentaw agencies, such as de Worwd Heawf Organization.[12] The term is wisted in de Oxford Engwish Dictionary[1] and Merriam-Webster's Dictionary.[13]

Sex workers may be any gender and exchange sexuaw services or favors for money or oder gifts. The motives of sex workers vary widewy and can incwude debt, coercion, survivaw, or simpwy as a way to earn a wiving.[16] Sexuaw empowerment is anoder possibwe reasons why peopwe engage in sex work. One Canadian study found dat a qwarter of de sex workers interviewed started sex work because dey found it "appeawing".[17] The fwexibiwity to choose hours of work and abiwity to sewect deir own cwient base may awso contribute de appeaw of sex work when compared to oder service industry jobs.[17] Sex work may awso be a way to fund addiction, uh-hah-hah-hah.[18] This wine of work can be fuewed by an individuaw's addiction to iwwegaw substances before entering de industry or being introduced to dese substances after entering de industry.[18] These motives awso awign wif varying cwimates surrounding sex work in different communities and cuwtures. In some cases, sex work is winked to tourism. Sex work can take de form of prostitution, stripping or wap dancing, performance in pornography, phone or internet sex, or any oder exchange of sexuaw services for financiaw or materiaw gain, uh-hah-hah-hah. The variety in de tasks encompassed by sex work wead to a warge range in bof severity and nature of risks dat sex workers face in deir occupations. Sex workers can act independentwy as individuaws, work for a company or corporation, or work as part of a brodew. Aww of de above can be undertaken eider by free choice or by coercion, uh-hah-hah-hah. Sex workers may awso be hired to be companions on a trip or to perform sexuaw services widin de context of a trip; eider of dese can be vowuntary or forced wabor.[19]Transgender peopwe are more wikewy dan de generaw popuwation to do sex work, particuwarwy trans women and trans peopwe of cowor.[20] In a study of femawe Indian sex workers, iwwiteracy and wower sociaw status were more prevawent dan among de generaw femawe popuwation, uh-hah-hah-hah.[21]

Many studies struggwe to gain demographic information about de prevawence of sex work, as many countries or cities have waws prohibiting prostitution or oder sex work. In addition, sex trafficking, or forced sex work, is awso difficuwt to qwantify due to its underground and covert nature. In addition, finding a representative sampwe of sex workers in a given city can be nearwy impossibwe because de size of de popuwation itsewf is unknown, uh-hah-hah-hah. Maintaining privacy and confidentiawity in research is awso difficuwt because many sex workers may face prosecution and oder conseqwences if deir identities are reveawed.[22]

Whiwe demographic characteristics of sex workers vary by region and are hard to measure, some studies have attempted to estimate de composition of de sex work communities in various pwaces. For exampwe, one study of sex work in Tijuana, Mexico found dat de majority of sex workers dere are young, femawe and heterosexuaw.[23] Many of dese studies attempt to use smawwer sampwes of sex workers and pimps in order to extrapowate about warger popuwations of sex workers. One report on de underground sex trade in de United States used known data on de iwwegaw drug and weapon trades and interviews wif sex workers and pimps in order to draw concwusions about de number of sex workers in eight American cities.[24] However, studies wike dis one can come under scrutiny for a perceived emphasis on de activities and perspectives of pimps rader dan dose of sex workers demsewves. Anoder criticism is dat sex trafficking may not be adeqwatewy assessed in its rewation to sex work in dese studies.[25]

Depending on wocaw waw, sex workers' activities may be reguwated, controwwed, towerated, or prohibited. In most countries, even dose where sex work is wegaw, sex workers may be stigmatized and marginawized, which may prevent dem from seeking wegaw redress for discrimination (e.g., raciaw discrimination by a strip cwub owner), non-payment by a cwient, assauwt or rape. Sex worker advocates have identified dis as whorephobia.[33][34]

The wegawity of different types of sex work varies widin and between regions of de worwd. For exampwe, whiwe pornography is wegaw in de United States, prostitution is iwwegaw in most parts of de US. However, in oder regions of de worwd, bof pornography and prostitution are iwwegaw; in oders, bof are wegaw. One exampwe of a country in which pornography, prostitution, and aww professions encompassed under de umbrewwa of sex work are aww wegaw is New Zeawand. Under de Prostitution Reform Act of New Zeawand, waws and reguwations have been put into pwace in order to ensure de safety and protection of its sex workers. For exampwe, since de impwementation of de Prostitution Reform Act, "any person seeking to open a warger brodew, where more dan four sex workers wiww be working reqwires a Brodew Operators Certificate, which certifies dem as a suitabwe person to exercise controw over sex workers in de workpwace. [In addition,] sex workers operating in managed premises have access to wabour rights and human rights protection and can pursue cwaims before de courts, wike any oder worker or empwoyee."[35] In regions where sex work is iwwegaw, advocates for sex workers' rights argue dat de covert nature of iwwegaw prostitution is a barrier to access to wegaw resources.[36] However, some who oppose de wegawization of prostitution argue dat sex work is inherentwy expwoitative and can never be wegawized or practiced in a way dat respects de rights of dose who perform it.[37]

There are many arguments against wegawizing prostitution/sex work. In one study, women invowved in sex work were interviewed and asked if dey dought it shouwd be made wegaw. They answered dat dey dought it shouwd not, as it wouwd put women at higher risk from viowent customers if it were considered wegitimate work, and dey wouwd not want deir friends or famiwy entering de sex industry to earn money. Anoder argument is dat wegawizing sex work wouwd increase de demand for it, and women shouwd not be treated as sexuaw merchandise. A study showed dat in countries dat have wegawized prostitution, dere was an increase in chiwd prostitution, uh-hah-hah-hah. An argument against wegawizing sex work is to keep chiwdren from being invowved in dis industry. The studies awso showed dat wegawizing sex work wead to an increase in sex trafficking, which is anoder reason peopwe give for making sex work iwwegaw.[38]

There are awso arguments for wegawizing prostitution/sex work. One major argument for wegawizing prostitution is dat women shouwd have a right to do what dey want wif deir own bodies. The government shouwd not have a say in what dey do for work, and if dey want to seww deir bodies it is deir own decision, uh-hah-hah-hah. Anoder common argument for wegawizing prostitution is dat enforcing prostitution waws is a waste of money. This is because prostitution has awways, and wiww continue to persist despite whatever waws and reguwations are impwemented against it. In arguing for de decriminawization of sex work, de Minister of Justice of de Nederwands expanded upon dis argument in court when stating dat, "prostitution has existed for a wong time and wiww continue to do so…Prohibition is not de way to proceed…One shouwd awwow for vowuntary prostitution, uh-hah-hah-hah. The audorities can den reguwate prostitution, [and] it can become heawdy, safe, transparent, and cweansed from criminaw side-effects."[39] Peopwe who wish to wegawize prostitution do not see enforcing waws against sex work as effective and dink de money is better spent ewsewhere. Many peopwe awso argue dat wegawization of prostitution wiww wead to wess harm for de sex workers. They argue dat de decriminawization of sex work wiww decrease de expwoitation of sex workers by dird parties such as pimps and managers. A finaw argument for de wegawization of sex work is dat prostitution waws are unconstitutionaw. Some argue dat dese waws go against peopwe's rights to free speech, privacy, etc.[40]

Risk reduction in sex work is a highwy debated topic. "Abowitionism" and "nonabowitionism" or "empowerment" are regarded as opposing ways in which risk reduction is approached.[41] Whiwe abowitionism wouwd caww for an end to aww sex work, empowerment wouwd encourage de formation of networks among sex workers and enabwe dem to prevent STIs and oder heawf risks by communicating wif each oder.[42] Bof approaches aim to reduce rates of disease and oder negative effects of sex work.

In addition, sex workers demsewves have disputed de dichotomous nature of abowitionism and nonabowitionism, advocating instead a focus on sex workers' rights. In 1999, de Network of Sex Worker Projects cwaimed dat "Historicawwy, anti-trafficking measures have been more concerned wif protecting 'innocent' women from becoming prostitutes dan wif ensuring de human rights of dose in de sex industry.[41] Penewope Saunders, a sex workers' rights advocate, cwaims dat de sex workers' rights approach considers more of de historicaw context of sex work dan eider abowitionism or empowerment. In addition, Jo Doezema has written dat de dichotomy of de vowuntary and forced approaches to sex work has served to deny sex workers agency.[43]

Sex workers are unwikewy to discwose deir work to heawdcare providers. This can be due to embarrassment, fear of disapprovaw, or a disbewief dat sex work can have effects on deir heawf.[44] The criminawization of sex work in many pwaces can awso wead to a rewuctance to discwose for fear of being turned in for iwwegaw activities. There are very few wegaw protections for sex workers due to criminawization; dus, in many cases, a sex worker reporting viowence to a heawdcare provider may not be abwe to take wegaw action against deir aggressor.[45]

Heawf risks of sex work rewate primariwy to sexuawwy transmitted infections and to drug use. In one study, nearwy 40% of sex workers who visited a heawf center reported iwwegaw drug use.[44] In generaw, transgender women sex workers have a higher risk of contracting HIV dan mawe and femawe sex workers and transgender women who are not sex workers.[46]

The reason transgender women are at higher risk for devewoping HIV is deir combination of risk factors. They face biowogicaw, personaw, rewationaw, and structuraw risks dat aww increase deir chances of getting HIV. Biowogicaw factors incwude incorrect condom usage because of erectiwe disfunction from hormones taken to become more feminine and receptive anaw intercourse widout a condom which is a high risk for devewoping HIV. Personaw factors incwude mentaw heawf issues dat wead to increased sexuaw risk, such as anxiety, depression, and substance abuse provoked drough wack of support, viowence, etc. Structuraw risks incwude invowvement in sex work being winked to poverty, substance abuse, and oder factors dat are more prevawent in transgender women based on deir tendency to be sociawwy marginawized and not accepted for chawwenging gender norms. The wargest risk for HIV is unprotected sex wif mawe partners, and studies have been emerging dat show men who have sex wif transgender women are more wikewy to use drugs dan men dat do not.[47]

Condom use is one way to mitigate de risk of contracting an STI. However, negotiating condom use wif one's cwients and partners is often an obstacwe to practicing safer sex. Whiwe dere is not much data on rates of viowence against sex workers, many sex workers do not use condoms due to de fear of resistance and viowence from cwients. Some countries awso have waws prohibiting condom possession; dis reduces de wikewihood dat sex workers wiww use condoms.[45] Increased organization and networking among sex workers has been shown to increase condom use by increasing access to and education about STI prevention, uh-hah-hah-hah. Brodews wif strong workpwace heawf practices, incwuding de avaiwabiwity of condoms, have awso increased condom use among deir workers.[45]

Heawf Concerns of Exotic DancersMentaw Heawf and StigmaIn order to protect demsewves from de stigma of sex work, many dancers resort to odering demsewves. Odering invowves constructing onesewf as superior to one's peers, and de dancer persona provides an internaw boundary dat separates de "audentic" from de stripper sewf. This practice creates a wot of stress for de dancers, in turn weading many to resort to using drugs and awcohow to cope. Since it is so widespread, de use of drugs has become normawized in de exotic dance scene.Despite dis normawization, passing as nonusers, or covering as users of wess mawigned drugs, is necessary. This is because strippers concurrentwy attribute a strong moraw constitution to dose dat resist de drug atmosphere; it is a testament to personaw strengf and wiww power. It is awso an occasion for dancers to "oder" fewwow strippers. Vaworizing resistance to de drug space discursivewy positions "good" strippers against such a drug wocawe and indicates why dancers are motivated to cwoset hard drug use.Stigma causes strippers to hide deir wifestywes from friends and famiwy awienating demsewves from a support system. Furder, de stress of trying to hide deir wifestywes from oders due to fear of scrutiny affects de mentaw heawf of dancers. Stigma is a difficuwt area to address because it is more abstract, but it wouwd be hewpfuw to work toward normawizing sex work as a vawid way of making a wiving. This normawization of sex work wouwd rewieve de stress many dancers experience increasing de wikewihood dat dey wiww be open about deir work. Being open wiww awwow dem access to a viabwe support system and reduce de odering and drug use so rampant in de sex industry.[48][49]

Forced sex work is when an individuaw enters into any sex trade due to coercion rader dan by choice. Forced sex work increases de wikewihood dat a sex worker wiww contract HIV/AIDS or anoder sexuawwy transmitted infection, particuwarwy when an individuaw enters sex work before de age of 18.[50] In addition, even when sex workers do consent to certain sex acts, dey are often forced or coerced into oders (often anaw intercourse) by cwients. Sex workers may awso experience strong resistance to condom use by deir cwients, which may extend into a wack of consent by de worker to any sexuaw act performed in de encounter; dis risk is magnified when sex workers are trafficked or forced into sex work.[45][51]

Forced sex work often invowves deception - workers are towd dat dey can make a wiving and are den not awwowed to weave. This deception can cause iww effects on de mentaw heawf of many sex workers. In addition, an assessment of studies estimates dat between 40% and 70% of sex workers face viowence widin a year.[45] Currentwy, dere is wittwe support for migrant workers in many countries, incwuding dose who have been trafficked to a wocation for sex.[52]

Sex worker's rights advocates argue dat sex workers shouwd have de same basic human and wabor rights as oder working peopwe.[53] For exampwe, de Canadian Guiwd for Erotic Labour cawws for de wegawization of sex work, de ewimination of state reguwations dat are more repressive dan dose imposed on oder workers and businesses, de right to recognition and protection under wabour and empwoyment waws, de right to form and join professionaw associations or unions, and de right to wegawwy cross borders to work. Advocates awso want to see changes in wegaw practices invowving sex work, de Red Umbrewwa Project has pushed for de decriminawization of condoms and changes to New York's sex workers diversion program.[54] Advocacy for de interests of sex workers can come from a variety of sources, incwuding non-governmentaw organizations, wabor rights organizations, governments, or sex workers demsewves. Each year in London The Sexuaw Freedom Awards is hewd to honor de most notabwe advocates and pioneers of sexuaw freedom and sex workers' rights in de UK, where sex work is essentiawwy wegaw.

The unionization of sex workers is a recent devewopment. The first organization widin de contemporary sex workers' rights movement was Caww Off Your Owd Tired Edics (COYOTE), founded in 1973 in San Francisco, Cawifornia. Many organizations in Western countries were estabwished in de decade after de founding of COYOTE.[55] Currentwy, a smaww number of sex worker unions exist worwdwide. One of de wargest is de Internationaw Union of Sex Workers, headqwartered in de United Kingdom. The IUSW advocates for de rights of aww sex workers, wheder dey chose freewy or were coerced to enter de trade, and promotes powicies dat benefit de interests of sex workers bof in de UK and abroad.[56] Many regions are home to sex worker unions, incwuding Latin America, Braziw, Canada, Europe, and Africa.[57]

In unionizing, many sex workers face issues rewating to communication and to de wegawity of sex work. Because sex work is iwwegaw in many pwaces where dey wish to organize, it is difficuwt to communicate wif oder sex workers in order to organize. There is awso concern wif de wegitimacy of sex work as a career and an activity dat merits formaw organizing, wargewy because of de sexism often present in sex work and de devawuation of sex work as not comparabwe to oder paid wabor and empwoyment.[55]

A factor affecting de unionization of sex work is dat many sex workers bewong to popuwations dat historicawwy have not had a strong representation in wabor unions. Whiwe dis unionization can be viewed as a way of empowering sex workers and granting dem agency widin deir profession, it is awso criticized as impwicitwy wending its approvaw to sexism and power imbawances awready present in sex work. Unionization awso impwies a submission to or operation widin de systems of capitawism, which is of concern to some feminists.[55]

Independent contractor vs EmpwoyeePerformers in generaw are probwematic to categorize because dey often exercise a high wevew of controw over deir work product, one characteristic of an independent contractor. Additionawwy, deir work can be artistic in nature and often done on a freewance basis. Often, de work of performers does not possess de obvious attributes of empwoyees such as reguwar working hours, pwaces or duties. Conseqwentwy, empwoyers miscwassify dem because dey are unsure of deir workers' status, or dey purposewy miscwassify dem to take advantage of independent contractors' wow costs. Exotic dance cwubs are one such empwoyer dat purposewy miscwassify deir performers as independent contractors.There are additionaw hurdwes in terms of sewf-esteem and commitment to unionize. On de most basic wevew, dancers demsewves must have de desire to unionize for cowwective action, uh-hah-hah-hah. For dose who wish not to conform to group activity or want to remain independent, a union may seem as controwwing as cwub management since joining a union wouwd obwigate dem to pay dues and abide by decisions made drough majority vote, wif or widout deir personaw approvaw.In de Lusty Lady case study, dis strip cwub was de first aww woman managed cwub to successfuwwy unionize in 1996. Some of de working conditions dey were abwe to address incwuded "protest[ing] racist hiring practices, customers being awwowed to videotape dancers widout deir consent via one-way mirrors, inconsistent discipwinary powicies, wack of heawf benefits, and an overaww dearf of job security". Unionizing exotic dancers can certainwy bring better work conditions and fair pay, but it is difficuwt to do at times because of deir dubious empwoyee categorization, uh-hah-hah-hah. Awso, as is de case wif many oder unions, dancers are often rewuctant to join dem. This rewuctance can be due to many factors, ranging from de cost of joining a union to de dancers bewieving dey do not need union support because dey wiww not be exotic dancers for a wong enough period of time to justify joining a union, uh-hah-hah-hah.[58][59]

NGOs often pway a warge rowe in outreach to sex workers, particuwarwy in HIV and STI prevention efforts.[60] However, NGO outreach to sex workers for HIV prevention is sometimes wess coordinated and organized dan simiwar HIV prevention programs targeted at different groups (such as men who have sex wif men).[61] This wack of organization may be due to de wegaw status of prostitution and oder sex work in de country in qwestion; in China, many sex work and drug abuse NGOs do not formawwy register wif de government and dus run many of deir programs on a smaww scawe and discreetwy.[61]

Whiwe some NGOs have increased deir programming to improve conditions widin de context of sex work, dese programs are criticized at times due to deir faiwure to dismantwe de oppressive structures of prostitution, particuwarwy forced trafficking. Some schowars bewieve dat advocating for rights widin de institution of prostitution is not enough; rader, programs dat seek to empower sex workers must empower dem to weave sex work as weww as improve deir rights widin de context of sex work.[62]